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never exceeded 6 or 700 men under Butler and Rutherford, two of the most active and zealous partizans in that country. Lord Cornwallis and Major Craig had paroled a third of the people; but all these advantages were loft, by want of conduct elsewhere.-But how can Great-Britain contend against all the world? I confefs this is a very aweful question, and was it a true ftate of her fituation, I should not hesitate to pronounce it impoffible. But governments, like individuals, are governed by intereft or paffion. If Ruffia is worthy the alliance of your country, make it her intereft to unite with you. Gibraltar and Minorca are fmall purchases for this country, and the Weft-Indies: for, depend on it, the latter will not remain long dependant, if the former has her Independance. All the fine speeches that were made in the former Spanish wars, on fupporting thefe garrifons, appear to be very futile this war. In no inftance have they anfwered our purpose. You will fay they have divided the enemy's force, and engaged their attention. I acknowledge they have done this, but only to a degree, that by no means has prevented the enemy from being fuperior to us in every quarter. Give the last of thefe places to Ruffia, and let her affift you in this country. The diverfion of force will ftill exift, and you have more ftrength to meet your enemy in another place; and for a peace with Spain, and a poffeffion of Porto Rico, give up Gibraltar.

I have made-up my mind upon our publick fituation; and I am thoroughly perfuaded, that, however mistaken I may be in my plans, no one can more fincerely and heartily with prosperity and glory to my country, than I do myself; and it will give me the highest pleasure, if any humble ideas of mine can contribute to roufe her from that infatuation that has fo long guided her, and to restore her to that luftre and fame the formerly so justly poffeffed. If

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my representation accords with your better judgment, I am fure your friendship for me will induce you to lay it before those whofe fphere it is to give it effect.

But great naval exertions must be made to recover the dominion of the feas; exemplary punishments inflicted on those who have neglected their duty, and the utmost fecrecy in all publick measures; I mean in what relates to expeditions and plans against the enemy.

Much is loft in America for want of addrefs and attention to those who join the British ftandard. The pride and vanity of the British military is little calculated for a people fo much upon a level as they are in this country. It ought to be remembered, that the human heart is often gained by trifles, and it is a very common adage, that injuries are fooner forgot than infults. Firmnefs and uniformity are effential to all great undertakings, and never to recede from what is, in its own nature, juft and proper. It is the highest folly to be denouncing threats and punishments one day, and the next relaxing.

The enemy are making preparations that indicate a defign against Charles-Town. A fiege or an evacuation is the general topic at prefent. For my own part, I have. fo bad an opinion of the judgement and conduct of those here, who guide the British affairs, that I am more afraid of the laft. I don't think Green will undertake a regular fiege, 'till a French naval force arrives to co-operate with him. We may be vulnerable in fome places, and a great want of difcipline prevailing, may induce him to attempt an enterprize against fome of our fea-ports: It is very certain they have been building and collecting boats for fome time; but perhaps this is only a preparation for the French. Be this as it may, no attempt whatever has been made by our people, either to deftroy their boats and magazines, or to intercept their fupplies either

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of flores or of cattle; and I am well informed, that Green was lately fo diftreffed for the laft, that he made a demand on North-Carolina for a large fupply, to raise which each county was taxed in proportion to its capacity. A great confumption of provifion took place whilft the French remained in the Chefapeak, to the great dif

trefs of the inhabitants.

THOUGHTS ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF AMERICA, AND THE BEST MANNER OF ACKNOWLEDGING IT.

To the Printer of the PUBLIC ADVERTISER.

SIR,

Nov. 22, 1782.

AS the conceffion of Independence to the revolted pro vinces of North America feems to be the great object on which the restoration of peace depends-and there are difficulties attending this conceffion which ftill make fome people averfe to it, notwithstanding the urgent neceffity of procuring peace upon any terms that are not abfolutely ruinous to the nation, I beg leave to ftate to your readers a few reflections that have occurred to me upon the fubject, and which may tend to remove or leffen thofe difficulties, and to dispose the nation to come into this most falutary measure heartily and speedily, and, if poffible, with one accord.

I think it seems now to be pretty generally agreed, that there is no longer any reafon to hope that we fhall be able to reduce the Americans to obedience by force. What was not done in the years 1776 and 1777 with the great armies under General Howe and General Burgoyne against the Americans alone, while they were yet unufed to war, can hardly be effected against them now, after they have been converted into a nation of foldiers by seven years' uninterrupted war, and when they are fupported by the arms of three powerful European nations, the French, the Dutch, and the Spaniards, of whom the firft are actually put in poffeffion of the harbours of Boston and Rhode Island, and other important pofts in thofe provinces. I fhall not there

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fore infik upon another obfervation, of the truth of which I am nevertheless most thoroughly perfuaded; which is, "That if we could reduce them to obedience by main force, “and that in the fpace of a fingle campaign, it would not "be worth our while to do fo; but that the expenfe and "other inconveniences that would attend the keeping them “in fubjection after they had fubmitted, (which certainly "could not be done without erecting and maintaining many "fortified places throughout that extenfive country, with a "large ftanding army of forty, or at least thirty thoufand men) would more than counterbalance all the advantages "that would arife to us from their becoming again, in this manner, our fellow-fubjects." If indeed it be true (as fome gentlemen confidently affure us) that a great majority of the people in thefe provinces (as, for example, threequarters, or four-fifths, or more) are really friends to Great Britain, and defirous of returning to their obedience to the Crown, and of renewing their old connection with us, I muft confefs that such a difpofition would be a fortunate change in our favour, and would deferve to be cultivated. But let us not haftily believe that they are in fuch a dispofition, while their publick actions and declarations all testify the contrary. Let their General Continental Congrefs and their Provincial Affemblies, (the members of which, we must remember, are not poffeffed of their power during their whole lives, like our Houfe of Lords, nor even for feven years, like our Houfe of Commons, but are chofen every year by the people, and who therefore ought not to be confidered as factious or partial bodies of men, that purfue a feparate intereft from that of the people, and govern them in a manner contrary to their inclinations,) I fay, let their Congrefs and Affemblies declare their willingnefs, (if they really are fo inclined,) to return to their old connection with ns, and I will agree that we ought to receive them with

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